Jakarta, August 03, 2026 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has developed a high-grade essential oil from indigenous frankincense resin, locally known as kemenyan, to produce premium perfumes, marking a significant step toward expanding the country’s value-added fragrance industry.
According to Aswandi, a researcher at BRIN’s Applied Botany Research Center, the purified frankincense oil yields a sophisticated amber fragrance that differs entirely from the resin’s traditional association with ceremonial incense.
Speaking during a recent BRIN podcast, Aswandi said the characteristic scent commonly linked to frankincense is absent even in natural frankincense forests, noting that the purified oil offers an elegant and refined aroma suitable for luxury fragrances.
To create premium perfumes, BRIN uses the purified frankincense oil as a base note, blending it with other indigenous Indonesian essential oils, including patchouli, ylang-ylang, jasmine, and citrus extracts, to produce complex and refreshing fragrances.
Researchers noted that Indonesian frankincense contains distinctive phytochemical compounds not found in similar species elsewhere. High concentrations of cinnamein, benzyl benzoate, and vanillin provide the locally sourced resin with strong potential to compete in the global fragrance market.
Despite its rich natural resources, Indonesia currently exports most of its frankincense as raw resin, shipping between 5,000 and 6,000 metric tonnes annually to around 60 countries, while continuing to import high-value perfumes and cosmetics that often use Indonesian frankincense as a primary ingredient.
In addition to its use in luxury perfumes, BRIN’s research indicates that frankincense-based formulations offer therapeutic benefits, including promoting relaxation, enhancing concentration, and supporting skin regeneration.
To encourage domestic value addition, BRIN is promoting the adoption of its patented purification technology among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The initiative aims to establish a competitive local fragrance industry, reduce reliance on imported cosmetic products, and reposition frankincense from its traditional ceremonial image to a high-value commercial commodity.
Researchers believe the initiative could create new opportunities for Indonesia’s creative economy by leveraging the country’s abundant natural resources, including frankincense, patchouli, and citronella, to produce world-class perfumes and aromatherapy products for domestic and international markets.
